Taste of His Own Medicine
by Aromene
Summary: Glorfindel finally gets to say what's on his mind, and Elrond comes to a shocking realization. TT EE scene.


**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, or places, or even the plot. **

**Author's Note: The idea for this fic came up during a talk with a friend after watching TT EE. We just thought the look on Elrond's face after Aragorn walks away after their talk at Gilraen's grave was just begging to have a story written about it. So here is what might (if the LOTR characters actually lived in the fanon universe) have happened after Aragorn exited the shot. **

**Title: A Taste of His Own Medicine -Otherwise known as "Elrond gets a talking to". **

**Warning: Glorfindel just would NOT be quiet. He just kept going on and on and on. I have a feeling he's been waiting for more than six decades to say all this, and he would not leave me in peace until he had. I apologize for the very un-elf lord-like behavior.**

**~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

Elrond heaved a sigh of remorse at the words he had just said; regretting them too late to take them back. Estel would not listen now, even if Elrond could find the strength in himself to tell his son he loved him and was not angry.

            "My, my, Peredhel, you do seem to get yourself into some impressive messes. And everyone always wonders where the twins get it from."

Elrond gave another sigh; this one long suffering. Why did Glorfindel always have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? He was in no mood for a lecture from the former Balrog Slayer at that moment; especially when he knew himself he had been wrong.

"He has only ever tried to please you Elrond, and yet you have done all you can to deny him the one thing he loves. The one thing, I believe, that keeps him going. Know you what you might just have done?"

Yes, Elrond knew, and that made it all the harder. Hope was what drove men to accomplish great things, and he had just dashed forever his son's sole Hope.

"You need not lecture me on what I already know, Glorfindel."

"That is good. That you already know it, that is. Of course, if you already knew it, what could possibly have possessed you to say what you just did to that poor boy?"

There was the crunch at last. Elrond had been wondering the same thing himself, but he had come to no answer. At least no answer he was willing to hear.

"When will you understand Elrond, that we love her just as much as you? And that in that love we found the strength to let her go. She is not happy here, and she will not be happy in Valinor, no matter what you wish. Her eyes do not dance with joy since that day you forbid her to marry him. Did you know then, what you had done to your own daughter? And have you not seen the grief that has lain over her these last decades? Or are you so blind you cannot see the pain you have caused your own—"

But Elrond had had quite enough from the Vanya. 

"I will not be lectured by you like some wayward elfling that has just thrown a tantrum at their parents! I am well aware of what I have done Glorfindel! And I would thank you to leave me in peace so that I might berate myself for doing so." Elrond began to move away, believing that the blond elf would leave him be.

But Glorfindel had waited six decades to say what was on his mind, and he wasn't about to be silenced until he had said it all.

"You tell me you know what you have done? Have known all along the pain you were causing your children? Tell me Elrond, how a father who loves his children as much as you claim to, can have knowingly caused them so much pain when it was in his power to give them happiness? What happened to the wise Lord Elrond, Herald of Gil-galad, who ever put others before him?! Do you even realize how selfish you have been? You have lost much in your life, I know this; far more than any should have to, but that does not give you the right to see to it that your children must suffer the loss and grief that has plagued you! That does not give you the right to deny them the one thing that makes them happy! The one thing that gave Arwen such joy as I had not seen in her since Celebrían's passing. You told me once you would deny Arwen and Aragorn their love, because you could not bear to face your wife on the shores of Valinor and tell her she would never see her daughter again. But have you even thought what Celebrían would say? Have you considered that she might find it in her heart to allow her daughter happiness? I am tired of listening to your excuses on this matter, when you are merely trying to cover up the simple truth: you cannot bear to be parted from your daughter. _You_ cannot bear it Elrond, and so you are causing everyone else grief. Open your eyes Peredhel and see what you have done! Open them before it is too late to remedy it!"

Glorfindel stalked away towards the house, face red from his anger, and leaving Elrond standing in shock in the center of the garden.

"Well I never…" the Lord began, before his own anger abruptly disappeared. The utter truth was: Glorfindel was completely right. Elrond cursed in Quenya, then Sindarin, and then not finding either language brutal enough he resorted to Khazdul. But none of it helped. 

How could he have been so utterly blind all these years? Or had he been? Now that Elrond considered it, he realized that he had been well aware of the pain he was causing all around him, and had simply convinced himself that that pain would soon fade and he was really doing the right thing. But he hadn't been; Glorfindel had just made that exceedingly clear to his clouded mind. 

Valar, what had he _done_? In trying to save two of his children he had alienated them all. What kind of wretched father was he, to do such a thing to his flesh and blood who he purposed to love more than anything in the world? Celebrían would be utterly ashamed of him.

He had to set things to rights. He couldn't let Estel go off on this quest believing he had angered his father; believing Arwen was leaving him; believing he had nothing to fight for.

Elrond turned toward to courtyard, planning on pulling his son aside before the company left, and checked himself as he nearly ran into Erestor.

"My Lord, the company is gathered and awaiting you. They are eager to leave before the sun rises much higher, for the day is already well begun."

Elrond cursed again, and started off, leaving a shocked Erestor trailing in his wake. As he came out into the courtyard to find all gathered and awaiting him he tried to meet Estel's eyes, but Aragorn refused to look at him; gazing at Arwen instead. But his daughter was looking firmly at the ground and not acknowledging the presence of anyone around her. 

Elrond suddenly came to another realization, and it would pain him most of all to the end of his days.

It was too late.


End file.
